


Troubleshooting

by cosmic_llin



Series: Fandom Stocking 2013/14 [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Computers, Ficlet, Gen, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-10
Updated: 2014-01-10
Packaged: 2018-01-08 05:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1128952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_llin/pseuds/cosmic_llin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Mel save the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Troubleshooting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amaresu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaresu/gifts).



The TARDIS had arrived just in time. The supercomputer that ran everything on the planet had gone out of control, terrorising the population and imposing its own twisted and incomprehensible rules. The Doctor and Mel arrived in the control centre right as the computer was deliberating over which 10% of the population to destroy for efficiency purposes.  
  
‘What are we going to do, Doctor?’ Mel asked, gazing wonderingly at the metres of cables and the banks of glowing lights.  
  
‘I’ll defeat it with a paradox,’ said the Doctor, with a wave of his hand. ‘Nothing to worry about, just watch this.’  
  
He turned to the mouthpiece that allowed communication with the Great Computer.  
  
‘Great Computer,’ he said, ‘does the set of all those sets that do not contain themselves contain itself?’  
  
There was a pause, followed by a whirring and beeping coming from somewhere deep within the computer. The Doctor grinned.  
  
‘Question irrelevant,’ the computer’s mechanical voice responded at last. ‘Marked “ignored”.’  
  
‘Oh,’ said the Doctor. ‘Well, in that case, try this one for size...’  
  
Mel reasoned that this was a one-person job, and hunkered down to inspect the workings of the machine.  
  
‘Your paradoxes cannot defeat me!’ said the computer, when the Doctor had tried five or six without success. I am the Great Computer! I am Lord of all that... please state your request.’  
  
The Doctor frowned. ‘What?’  
  
Mel stood up, brushing herself off. ‘Nothing to worry about, Doctor. I’ve restored the factory settings. It shouldn’t give us any more trouble.’  
  
‘Oh, yes, well, hmm... good work,’ the Doctor harrumphed. ‘Well, back to the TARDIS then, I suppose.’


End file.
